Little Wonders
by SunnyBunnylove77
Summary: Guy Germaine moves back to Minnesota, after 2 years away, to finish his last year of high school at Eden Hall Academy with his fellow ducks. Many pairings! Mainly Guy/Connie with Charlie/Linda, Adam/Julie, Averman/OC and later Fulton/Tammy.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mighty Ducks**

**Many pairings! Mainly a Guy/Connie story with some Adam/Julie, Fulton/Tammy (later), and Averman/OC  
So, I never wrote anything for the Mighty Ducks before... This is more of a writing exercise for me so I hope this turns out good!**

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**Little Wonders**  
Chapter 1

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To say that Guy Germaine was nervous would be an understatement. He hasn't seen his fellow Ducks in two years, not since his mom moved them to Seattle, Washington for her job. Now they were moving back to Minneapolis, Minnesota and he was anxious to see all of his former teammates. He wondered if any of them changed at all in two years.

Lester Averman was probably still his goofball self. Julie Gaffney and Greg Goldberg were probably still going head-to-head to be starter goalie. Dwayne Robertson was probably still showing off his skills with a puck and still roping up his teammates during practice. Ken "Little Bash Brother" Wu probably still had great grades and still used his figure skating skills to help him on the ice. Dean Portman and Fulton Reed were probably still thick as thieves and causing trouble on the ice as the Bash Brothers. Luis Mendoza hopefully has learned how to stop properly by now and is still probably the fastest player on the team. Russ Tyler probably still uses his trademark "knucklepuck". Adam "Cake-Eater" Banks is still most likely the best player. Charlie Conway is probably still the leader, heart, and soul of the team.

Guy could definitely depend on the team to not change a lot in two years. He had plenty of conversations on the phone with all of his teammates, mostly with his best friends Charlie, Dwayne and Ken. They talked every week and kept Guy updated on everything about the Ducks. Charlie continuously reassures Guy that they kept his spot vacant till he eventually returned back to Minnesota. He was grateful that they all still wanted him. The Ducks were like a second family to him, albeit a dysfunctional one, but a family nonetheless. No matter what, Ducks fly together.

And then there was Connie Moreau.

Guy had a long history with Connie. They met a few years ago when they were playing peewee hockey. And when the Ducks were officially formed they practically became best friends right at the start and subconsciously they always had to be next to each other and do everything together. And soon they both developed slight feelings for the other. They even shared a victory kiss after they won their championship game. Guy was hoping that they would move into a relationship but they just remained best friends instead. They were twelve after all; they had plenty of time for relationships later.

When they were thirteen they almost shared another kiss down by the river. Unfortunately, his other teammates came and interrupted them. But Guy wasn't deterred, the two of them still stayed very close and he knew it would only be a matter of time till they got together officially. Connie and Guy already acted like they were in a relationship; to everyone else it was obvious except to them. Then they both were on Team USA, along with most of the original Ducks, for the Junior Goodwill Games. Connie seemed to have taken a slight interest in Mendoza when they first met and everything seemed to go downhill from there.

They were still close during the Junior Goodwill Games but after they won they started drifting. When they were fourteen and entering high school, the Ducks were all awarded athletic and academic scholarships to Eden Hall Academy and that's when everything really changed. Guy was super happy when Connie got over her crush for Mendoza, but was soon devastated when he found out that his mother would be getting a job transfer right after the hockey season was up and that they would move to the west coast. Connie was the first person he told, soon after his other three best friends knew. The other Ducks didn't find out till much later.

Connie acted strangely after the news. The two of them, once as close as the Bash Brothers (maybe even closer), were starting to part ways. Their teammates noticed a slight change between the two after a few practices. Normally, both of them would have each other's backs and worked as a great tag team but Connie started to play further away from him. To any outsider there was no change, they still played the same and had the same positions but the Ducks could see that the dynamic had changed.

But they never questioned it. At the time it seemed so small that no one suspected anything might be wrong with the friendship between Guy and Connie. But then the two stopped walking together, stopped sitting together in the locker room after games for team meetings, stopped sharing inside jokes, stopped acting like best friends. The tight bond they shared was dissolving right before everyone's eyes as the year went on at Eden Hall Academy. It was all very subtle but the Ducks knew something was way off.

Before anyone knew it, Guy had to leave to go to Seattle. He managed to keep in touch with almost everyone in the two years he'd been gone. Everyone except for Connie. Maybe that was why she started to pull away in the last few months he was in Minnesota, so that when he was gone the pain of losing a best friend wouldn't be so bad. But now the two hardly talk to each other and that was even worse.

So it was safe to say that Guy was most anxious about seeing Connie again.

* * *

Guy shifted nervously in his seat. He and his mom just landed in Minneapolis and Guy was antsy to get off the crowded plane. Charlie, Dwayne and Ken all promised to meet him at the airport and he wanted to go and see his friends again.

"Stop moving, Guy." His mom placed a hand on his shoulder to make him stop his movements. "You're making me anxious just watching you." His mom had short blond hair with a few stray gray streaks and blue eyes, the same blue as his eyes. Wrinkles started forming around her eyes but she didn't quite look her age with her young-at-heart nature.

"Sorry, I can't help it." His eyes were staring out the rain streaked round window. They were almost at a terminal where they could get off the plane.

As soon as the plane came to a stop and the 'fasten seatbelt' sign was turned off, Guy jumped out of his seat and quickly grabbed his carry on from above the seat. He also grabbed his mom's carry on bag and handed it to her. She wore an amused expression at his eagerness to be the first off the plane.

"Come on, mom!" Guy urged his mom to move faster. She rolled her eyes and shook her head but hurried up nonetheless.

The pair walked through the airport, dodging and weaving in between people, looking for where they could collect their baggage. Finally they saw a big sign that directed them on where to go and they spotted the moving conveyor belt that started spitting out the first of the bags on their plane. Guy and his mom stood near the back, waiting to for when their hideous shade of bright orange luggage came. Both of them hated the color but it was easy to keep track off in a crowded airport and they knew no one would want to steal it.

After waiting for about ten minutes, Guy spotted the two large orange suitcases and walked over the conveyor belt to grab them. He was suddenly grateful for playing so much hockey and working out 'cause the two suitcases were bulging and filled to the max and _heavy_. He wasn't a small scrawny kid anymore; he now had well defined muscles and was tall at around six foot. He was still skinny but he was also lean and muscular. Guy grabbed the first suitcase and lifted it up and placed it on the floor next to him. As he was about to reach for the second one and hand shot out grabbed it before he could.

He was about to yell and protest when a voice drawled out, "Need a hand, Partner?"

In front of him was guy about two inches taller than him. He had short brown hair, big ears and brown eyes and sported a fancy looking belt buckle and a plaid shirt tucked into his faded blue jeans. He also had a pair of cowboy boots hided under his jeans and a black cowboy hat that Guy could've spotted anywhere.

"Dwayne?" Guy was a bit shocked. He also filled out a big more in the two years that he last saw him.

"Howdy! Man, I missed you!" Dwayne set down the ugly orange suitcase and gave Guy a big bear hug.

"Me too! Are the other guys here too?" He asked and looked around. He didn't need to look far though. Guy could see Charlie and Ken talking with his mom.

"Come on! Let's walk over there." Dwayne grabbed one suitcase and began making his way into the crowd to where his friends were. Ever the polite person that he was. Guy shook his head and picked up the other suitcase and followed him.

Ken was the first to spot him. He kept his black hair short and didn't grow much unlike Dwayne, Charlie and himself. He was still only five foot six inches. But what he lacked in height he made up for in muscle, he was much bigger than the other boys. Charlie was the same height and size as Guy. His hair curly brown hair much resembled his shaggy blonde hair except that Charlie's was a big longer and hung in front of his eyes. Ken and Charlie both had on identical grin's as the two boys approached.

"Germaine!" Charlie called out and gave him a hug.

"Conway, hey!" He greeted than turned to the shorter boy, "Kenny! What's going on, Small Fry?" He ruffled his hair which Ken swatted at his hand.

"Hey! Stop that, Germaine!" He playfully punched him a few times in the side before giving him a quick hug.

"How are the other Ducks?" Guy asked.

"Basically the same as they always have been." Charlie shrugged. "They are excited to see you though! Oh, we are having a team practice tomorrow by the way."

"Tomorrow? Already? Summer is ending in like a week. The season doesn't even start for another few weeks." Guy said.

"It's our senior year so we have to go out with a bang!" Ken said excitedly. He even jumped and threw his fist in the air.

"'Sides, ya'll haven't played with the rest of the Ducks for two years. We might need a bit of time adjusting, ya know?" Dwayne said in his deep accented voice. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

Guy sighed and shrugged, "Yeah, I guess that's true."

"Come on, boys. Let's get out of this crowded airport." His mom gestured for them to follow her. "We don't have all day to just stand here. Dwayne, honey, could you bring that suitcase to the cab?" She smiled sweetly at him but it wasn't really a question, it was more of an order.

"Yes, ma'am!" Dwayne picked up the orange suitcase and followed her out the door. Guy laughed at seeing his expression and picked up the other large suitcase. Charlie and Ken chuckled and trailed behind him.

It felt good to be home.

* * *

Guy woke up with a start at the sound of his alarm clock. He sat up fast then groaned when he saw the time. Seven a.m. _Are you kidding me?_ He thought. But then he remembered that he had set the alarm to get up so he could practice with the Ducks and play a little scrimmage. He perked up a little at the thought of seeing everyone.

Guy threw off the covers and stretched as he stood up. He scratched his head and ruffled his hair before walking down the stairs to the kitchen. Yawning loudly, Guy grabbed a cereal box and a bowl before taking the milk carton out of the fridge. He pour his cereal then the milk and put the milk back. He grabbed a spoon and closed the drawer with his hip as he took a bit. Yawning again, Guy walked to the dining room table. Man, did he have some serious jet lag. But that was to be expected since Seattle was a whole different time zone. He only was able to get a couple hours sleep before his alarm clock rudely woke him up.

His mom must've been still sleeping since the house was so quiet and there was no coffee brewing. Good, she needed her sleep. She looked far too tired these days. Guy vaguely wondered if something was wrong but figured it must've not been anything serious. She looked perfectly healthy - well minus the bags under her eyes.

Guy stood from the table and rinsed his bowl in the sink then dashed up the stairs back to his room. He quickly changed and searched the boxes in his room for his hockey gear. It took him a while but he eventually found all his gear in three separate boxes. Now all he was missing was his roller skates. Where did he put them? Guy had no idea. If there was one thing he hated about moving, it was the fact that he couldn't find anything and that there were so many boxes to search through. On the fifth box he found them and grinned widely.

Grabbing his bag full of his hockey gear and grabbing his skates he raced back down the stairs. He stopped by the front door and quickly left a note to his mom that he was out with the Ducks so she wouldn't worry. Guy walked out the door then sat on the porch to put his skates on. His hands were shaking slightly with the pent up excitement at seeing everyone again. As soon as his skates were laced up he skated down the street at full speed. Releasing some of his excitement, he howled into the early morning, not caring that he might be waking up some of his neighbors.

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**So, that was chapter one! Hope you're interested in more! Definitely going to get better, promise!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mighty Ducks**

**Hello! Welcome to chapter 2! I don't mean for the chapters to be so small...they will get longer! I tried really hard to get everyone in character but I'm not sure if I succeeded or not.**

**Thank you to IllusionsOfBliss for being my first reviewer! :D**

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**Little Wonders**  
Chapter 2

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Guy didn't have to skate long to soon be joined by Charlie and later Ken. The two of them live only two blocks away from him. They both had their hockey gear in a bag that was slung over their shoulders and each had identical big grins on their faces.

"Man, I still can't believe you're back!" Charlie practically yelled. Just like Guy, Charlie seemed to be excited about practice today.

"I know it's weird, right? Does everyone know?" Guy jumped over some trash lying on the sidewalk.

"Sort of. Some of the guys were on vacation so we couldn't tell them yet. But Julie, Portman, Fulton and Banks know that you'll be at practice today." Ken, who was skating in the street, quickly avoided an oncoming car.

"How is… everyone?" Guy hesitated asking the question he most wanted the answer to. He really wanted to ask about Connie but found that he just couldn't get the words out of his mouth. Guy avoided looking at the other two boys and continued skating like nothing was wrong, hoping they didn't catch his slip up.

"She's been good, Guy." Charlie said, of course he would be able to see right through him. Charlie was good at stuff like that, always getting straight to the point. Maybe that was why he made such a good caption?

"Oh, we talking about Connie?" Ken asked. "Yeah, she seems fine. Though she's not around much lately." He shrugged then got a huge grin on when he looked at Guy and sniggered, "You still like her, Guy?"

That caught Guy's attention – why wasn't she around the team much? "Wait, What? Why isn't she around much?" He decided to ignore Ken's last comment.

"She's been with her boyfriend." Charlie had a sour expression when he said that.

Ken also made a face at the mention of Connie's boyfriend. "Yeah, a real Class A jerk, if you ask me. But she seems to really like him so there has to be _some_ kind of redeemable quality about him."

Guy stayed quiet after that. So Connie had a boyfriend. The thought didn't sit well with him, especially since both Charlie and Ken didn't seem to like him. They usually liked everyone unless given a reason not to. That made him dislike the man even more. Connie deserved someone much better. But what if he really was a good guy? A sinking feeling was in his stomach and Guy didn't know if it was worse or not if her boyfriend was a decent person.

"What's…" Guy trailed off and cleared his throat, "What's he like?" He tried not to sound too interested.

"A stereotypical jock - tall, mean, plays sports, rude. List goes on. I tried talking to Connie about him once but she got defensive and became withdrawn in the conversation quickly." Charlie said as he jumped over a trashcan. "Hopefully, with you back, she will come to her senses and be a part of the group again." Then he added with a smirk, "Then you guys can get back together and everything will be right with the world again."

"I – I don't – I'm not into Connie anymore. She can date who she wants to." He winced, even to his ears he sounded unconvincing. "I'm just… _concerned_ about my… former best friend, is all." Guy pointedly stared ahead; he couldn't meet the eyes of his best friends or else they'd definitely know he was lying. He still had feelings for Connie, he never stopped having feelings and he wasn't sure he was ever going to stop.

Charlie let out a bark of laughter, "Ha! Sure. You never got over her and you know it." Ken snickered also, but at least he tried to hide it behind a cough, albeit rather unsuccessfully.

"Shut up, Conway!" Guy frowned, fighting the burning he felt in his cheeks.

* * *

They skated to Eden Hall Academy. Apparently Charlie was able to talk the school into letting them use the ice rink even though school wasn't going to start for another week. Coach Orion wouldn't be at the practice today, considering it wasn't technically an official one. This was more of an impromptu practice to surprise the Ducks that he was back.

The closer they came Guy could see figures waiting by the doors. It seemed like everyone was already there and Charlie, Ken and himself were the last to arrive. Guy almost wanted to stop right there and turn around to go back home. Anxiety washed over him the closer they got. What if they didn't like him anymore? What if they didn't want him on the team anymore? He knew his friends weren't like that but the thoughts still ate away at his mind. _God_, he felt like a kid on the first day of kindergarten. Still, a lot could happen in two years.

"Hey… is that?" He heard someone up ahead say.

"Germaine!" Someone shouted practically in his ear as he was almost tackled down with a hug, by the voice he knew it was a girl. "I can't believe you're here. I almost thought Charlie was lying when he said you were coming home."

Pulling back from the hug, he looked at the smiling face of Julie Gaffney. The wind blew her long dirty blond hair into her light green eyes as the smile lit up her face. She was a few inches shorter than him at about five foot five. Adam Banks came up behind her and placed an arm casually around her shoulders. His brown hair was still cut short but he grew more and was probably the same height as Dwayne now. Guy had on a sly smile as he looked between the two.

"You guys together now?" He wagged his eyebrows suggestively. When both Adam and Julie blushed, Guy knew he had his answer. "About time!" He elbowed Adam in the side a few times playfully.

"Shut up, Germaine!"

Guy snickered. All of his fellow ducks seemed happy to see him. Averman wore a look of astonishment on his face that was pretty funny. He had the same glasses and his reddish brown hair was still a curly mess. He hardly grew and was only about five foot ten. Portman and Fulton were excitedly yelling and screaming and hitting each other, kind of like how they act before a game. Fulton's black hair was still long, stopping at his shoulders with a bandana on his head, and Portman's was still short and he also sported his signature bandana. He and Portman were both the tallest of the whole group at six foot three, only an inch taller than Dwayne and Banks. They were both also the biggest of the group with the most muscle.

"Double G, the G-Man. Hey, good to have you back!" Averman said and clapped him on the back.

"Averman. How's it been?" He asked.

"Great." Averman smiled and pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"Ah, yeah!" Suddenly, Guy was being squished by two large, screaming men. He felt like his ribs were cracking at the force and the air quickly left his lungs.

"Hey, don't break him. At least not too much!" He could hear Russ say somewhere in the background. Reed and Portman released their hold and clapped his back hard. Guy grimaced at the force. He turned to see Russ Tyler, he hasn't changed at all except that he grew an inch and was about as tall Averman.

Russ held up his hands as if saying 'don't come near me'. "Hey, I don't do all the hugging and mushy stuff. Good to see the Bash Brothers didn't snap you in half though!" He smiled

"Nice to see ya too, Russ."

Guy saw Dwayne tip his black cowboy hat in greeting and nodded at him. Mendoza and Goldberg were each grinning. Both Mendoza and Goldberg didn't change either. They were the same, except taller. Goldberg did seem to have lost some weight though.

"Don't you ever leave again! What's the matter with you, huh? We can't be a complete team without one of our top scorers. You probably did it on purpose, right, to test us? Yeah, good test. Pfft." Goldberg dramatically said and Guy couldn't help roll his eyes at his friend, but he couldn't help the slight laugh.

"Amigo! Man, it was weird without you. Glad you're back." Mendoza clapped Guy's shoulder.

"It's good to see all of you again." And it really was too, it felt amazing to be back home with all of his close friends who were practically his family now.

"Guy?" He heard a small voice behind him say in disbelief.

Guy turned around and his breath caught in his throat. It was Connie. She was the same height as before, five foot seven. Her long brown hair was pulled into a braid and her brown eyes showed disbelief that he was actually there. She looked good, _really_ good. She seemed even more beautiful now than she was before and he felt his heart skip a beat at the sound of her voice. Yeah, there was no denying it, at least to himself, he definitely still liked her. Guy pushed his curly blond hair out of his face as he ran a hand through his hair nervously. He smiled and gave a slight wave. He noticed that everyone was quiet, probably all wanting to see how their exchange would play out.

"Connie. Hey." Guy finally responded.

"It's great to see you!" Connie took a step forward and raised her arms as if to hug him but then hesitated and stopped. Guy wished she didn't stop, that they did hug. He missed her hugs – the way her arms wrapped around him, how perfectly her head fit in the crook of his neck, the smell of her strawberry shampoo. She frowned and Guy couldn't help his eyes stray to her lips. Whenever she frowned, her bottom lip would jut out a bit in a pout and he could never resist her when she gave him that look. "Did you, uh, did you officially move back?" Connie rubbed her arm nervously and stared at the ground.

He forced his eyes away from her mouth. "Uh, yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Why couldn't things go back to normal? How it used to be, before she pulled away from him. He missed his best friend, he missed staying up and talking to her about anything and nothing, he missed joking around, he missed everything, he missed _her_. And he didn't know if he'd ever get her back again – friend wise or possibly as something more, though it was more likely to be the former and not the latter. "You…", He cleared his throat of the lump that suddenly formed, "You look… _great_."

A blush rose on her cheeks. Guy thought her now rosy cheeks made her even more beautiful and he felt proud that he still had that effect on her. "Thanks," She mumbled, "You don't look so bad yourself. You got taller." Connie finally looked up and she had a smile fighting its way on her face. "And you need a haircut." Her nose crinkled up when she said that and she took a step forward, closing the distance between them, to ruffle up his blond mess of hair, a laugh escaping as she did so.

Guy couldn't help the stupid lopsided grin on his face as he playfully swatted her wrist away. She dodged his hand and kept messing up his hair even more, her melodic peals of laughter filling his ears with the pleasant sound. Guy loved her laughter, it was one that filled her whole being when it was genuine and, to him, it was breathtaking to hear. He eventually caught her wrist to make her stop. Connie's laugh faded as his hand lingered longer than it should have and she glanced down at the skin contact and adopted a slightly confused expression with her eyebrows furrowed together. She looked to be thinking about something and she didn't seem happy with whatever it was. Guy quickly dropped her wrist and cleared his throat again to cover up the uncomfortable silence that followed. He opened his mouth to say something that could defuse the tension but was soon interrupted.

"Why don't we start practice?" Charlie said and put his hands on both of their shoulders before walking away.

Connie blinked a few times, as if remembering the fact that others were there also. She opened her mouth as if to say something but then quickly shut it, her mouth becoming a tight line. She nodded at him and stiffly said, "Right. Practice."

Connie walked away and Guy couldn't help but feel confused and a little hurt at the way she just walked away. It reminded him of the end of his freshman year where they were hardly speaking and he desperately hoped that she wouldn't be like that this year. It felt so good to be able to joke around with Connie that the moment it ended he felt emptier than he did before. The sound of her laughter still echoed in his ears and all he wanted was to hear it again. Guy felt a pang in his chest at the thought that things might never be able to go back to normal and that hurt the most. The 'should've been's and the 'what if's. What if he never left? What would've happened if he stayed the last two years? They should have still been best friends; they should have been at least talking to each other. His ears perked up when he heard footsteps as felt a presence stand next to him.

"She'll come 'round. Give her time." Dwayne drawled in his deep southern voice.

Guy heaved a sigh, "Let's hope so, Cowboy."

* * *

The two of them were the last to walk into the ice rink and they headed straight over to the boy's locker room. The other boys were already there putting on their pads and hockey gear. Connie and Julie went to the girl's locker room instead. He walked to the spot where his locker used to be and couldn't help the nostalgic feeling wash over him. He stared at the spot for a minute before shaking his head and getting his gear out of his bag.

As he was pulling on his shoulder pads Charlie walked over, already fully dressed for practice. "For a second, it almost seemed like nothing had changed between you and Connie."

Guy sighed. It really had seemed like nothing changed and he could almost trick himself into believing that in that moment they were still best friends. But the moment ended way too quickly, leaving only longing, regret, and melancholy in its wake. "Yeah, I know. But she…" He trailed off not really sure what to say.

"Give it time." Charlie placed a hand on his shoulder and said optimistically, "If five minutes can get you guys to joke around, maybe a few days or weeks might make you guys close friends again."

"Maybe." Guy shrugged, pulling on his elbow pads then his hockey jersey. He sat down on the bench and laced up his skates. He stood up, grabbed his hockey stick and his helmet then faced Charlie. "Let's practice."

Charlie nodded, sensing the conversation was over. Guy was glad he didn't try to force him to talk more about it.

"C'mon, boys! Practice is starting." Charlie yelled out.

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**So, how'd I do? I feel like I didn't get everyone in character... :/**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated! I would love to know what you think so far!  
I personally like how I had Connie and Guy interact but that last part in the lockers annoys me...I might rewrite that later, hmm. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! Sorry that this chapter took so long, I just couldn't seem the get the conversation with Connie's father to go right and I think I finally got it now (took me like 5 tries). And sorry about the shortness of the chapter. I promise that the chapters will get longer, I'm still trying to set everything up. Next chapter the story will really pick up.**

**Thank you so much for** HopelessDreamer4Life**,** PrincessH**,** IllusionsOfBliss**,** God'sgirlforever**,** **and** Sophie(guest) **for reviewing the last chapter!**

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**Little Wonders**  
Chapter 3

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Guy quickly skated the length of the rink, relishing the old memories that washed over him. He remembered all the games he played, he remembered getting checked really hard in the boards, he remembered winning the JV versus Varsity game. Freshman year was crazy for all the Ducks. Charlie had temporarily quit the team, Hans died, everyone had trouble adjusting to the new school, and that was the year he left. Guy couldn't help the smile on his face at seeing the banner of the Eden Hall Ducks.

Guy still couldn't believe all that the Ducks had accomplished. They beat the Hawks in the peewee hockey championship, they won the Junior Goodwill Games, the NHL named a pro team after them, they beat the stuck up varsity team, and they changed the school team from being the Warriors to the Ducks.

The Ducks all shared an incredibly unique bond and Guy was proud to be a part of it all since the beginning.

"Alright guys, let's start practice! Dwayne," Charlie turned towards him, "Round 'em up, Cowboy!"

"Yeehaw!" Dwayne's face practically spit in half at the size of his smile. He took the rope more firmly in his hand and started doing fancy tricks with it. "Better run, boys!"

A loud clearing of throats could be heard from the two females on the team. They stood next to each other with their arms crossed and a mild scowl on their faces.

"Heh, sorry girls." Dwayne sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

All at once everyone seemed to take off skating all around the rink. Dwayne tried catching Mendoza but he quickly sidestepped so he focused his attention on the others around him, which was Charlie and Averman. Averman yelped when Charlie quickly took off, leaving him as the obvious target. A few snickers could be heard. Dwayne swung the rope at him and it landed perfectly around his shoulders as Averman lost his footing and skidded on the ice.

"Gotcha, Averman!" Dwayne smiled.

"Why am I always first to get caught?" Averman removed the rope from around him. This time everyone did start laughing at his comment, but quickly sobered up when Dwayne turned on them.

"'Cause you're an easy target, Averman!" Ken called out.

"Like you never get caught, Wu." Averman frowned but you could tell he wasn't really mad.

"You're right, I don't." Ken said confidently.

Dwayne went after Ken, "Better run, Kenny! I'm right on your tail! I'm gonna getcha this time." He looked really determined.

Ken didn't look worried and actually turned to skate backwards, not bothering to speed up at all. He was crouched low, waiting to move at the right time. Dwayne threw the rope at him and Ken did a quick spin and dodged the rope easily.

"Still can't catch me, Dwayne!"

"Darn it! Man, I thought I had you that time!" He said in his deep voice, he sounded a little down but he had his ever present smile on his face.

Connie and Julie ended up skating next to Guy as they avoided the Cowboy and his rope. So far, Dwayne managed to catch Averman, Russ, Charlie and Fulton. Adam skated over to Julie and grabbed her gloved hand, and the four of them were skating together quickly caught the attention of Dwayne. He swung the rope in a circle above his head, seemingly aiming for Julie when Adam dragged her off, narrowly missing Dwayne and his rope.

Dwayne than turned on his next target – Connie and himself. Connie shrieked in laughter as she grabbed Guy and used him as a human shield. He couldn't help but laugh at her attempts to not get caught. The same stupid lopsided grin from earlier made its way back on his face as she held onto him.

"Ya'll can't hide, Miss Connie. I'll be gettin' a two for one special!" Dwayne smiled widely.

Guy tried skating backwards, since he was facing Dwayne, but it proved to be a harder task with Connie holding onto him from behind. He laughed as he took a step forward out of her grasp and to the side. She gave him a hard look.

"Traitor!" She called out and playfully stuck her tongue out.

Guy held up his hands in defense, "Every man –er, person–," He quickly corrected at the look she sent him, "for themselves."

Dwayne threw the rope and Connie tried to dodge but Guy could see she wouldn't be fast enough. So he reached out his hands and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her back to avoid the rope. She let out another shriek at the unexpected pull backwards. The rope landed harmlessly on the ice.

"Hey," She laughed. "What happened to 'every person for themselves'?" She mocked.

He shrugged. Guy didn't really know why he did it himself. It just felt so easy to fall back into how they were years ago. His body practically acted on itself and he couldn't help it when he grabbed her around the waist. And, _God_, did it felt good to have her in his arms again. He didn't know how it happened but he _did_ know he just didn't want to let go. "Sorry, looked like you might've needed some help." He grinned down at her, not really sorry at all.

"Right." Connie just shook her head and giggled. Her brown eyes went wide as she covered her mouth.

"Did you just giggle?" Guy's smile grew. Connie usually never giggled. She either had a loud laugh that filled her whole body or soft snickers, not the girlish sound that just came out of her. He poked her in the side repeatedly when she didn't answer him. She swatted at his hand.

"Shut up!" She looked away trying to hide the red that was quickly covering her cheeks. Was she blushing now too? Connie elbowed him in the stomach, non-too gently either.

Guy moved his leg back to catch himself but instead causing himself to lose his footing instead. His skate bumped into Connie's, and the both of them went tumbling down to the ground. They erupted into a fit of laughter as they lay there on the ice. Their legs were entangled and Connie was half laying on top of him, not that he was complaining. It just felt so good to just lay there and laugh with Connie; it was almost as if nothing had changed at all. Guy wished they could just stay there all day, he knew they'd have to move soon but he was relishing the few seconds he had where he felt like Connie was his best friend again. His heart made an uncomfortable jump as he knew this was only temporary.

Connie gave him a small, content smile as her laughter started to die down. Their faces were so close together, he could see the flecks of gold in her brown eyes. A stray lock of her chocolate brown hair came loose from her braid and Guy felt his fingers twitch as he fought the urge to move it away.

"Constance Moreau!" An angry shout interrupted their little moment.

Connie and Guy turned to see an angry man with his arms crossed over his chest. He had short, dark brown hair with a few grey flecks and stubble on his chin and he was of average height. Guy recognized the man; it was Theodore Moreau, Connie's father. And he seemed to be extremely mad.

Guy and Connie quickly separated and stood up. "Dad?" Connie looked confused at his anger.

"Did you forget about all the important things we have to do today? I came here to get you and what do I see? You fooling around! This is where all your time and my money gets wasted?" Theodore uncrossed his arms but his hands balled into fist at his sides.

"Dad! We were just goofing off a little bit to warm up. And besides I have plenty of time after practice to get ready for that lunch with the Collins." Connie defended with a frown on her face.

"Get your stuff Constance. We are leaving." Theodore's voice was low as he pointed towards the door. "And just be glad that I came here and not Ethan." Connie looked away; the coloring in her face seemed to have drained at the mention of this Ethan person. Theodore glanced over at Guy, his angry eyes on him for a few seconds before he looked back at his daughter. "And what were you doing with that _boy_?"

Guy flinched at his tone of voice. He couldn't remember a time when Theodore was ever mad at him. Since Guy and Connie used to be best friends he was over her house all the time and her parents seemed to really like him. Or at least he _thought_ they did anyways. But now, looking at how angry Theodore was, he wasn't so sure. Anger flared in Connie's eyes as she whipped her head up to face her father, "That _boy_?" Connie seemed to have been taken aback, "Dad, its Guy!"

"So?" Theodore didn't seem fazed at her sudden anger and Guy was slightly surprised, considering they weren't exactly _friends _at the moment. A spark of hope ignited within Guy. He really wished that this could be the first step in rebuilding their friendship. Theodore straightened up and clenched his fist again, "Constance, you will not screw this up. We are leaving." When she didn't make a move, Theodore added forcefully, "_Now_."

She now had her arms crossed in front of her, a defiant expression on her face. Connie looked about ready to retort when Guy put his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. The whole team had stopped skating as soon as they heard Theodore shouting and were silently watching the fight slowly play out.

"Connie," He hesitated, hoping she wouldn't take this the wrong way, "Maybe you should go with him." He knew she would feel guilty and embarrassed later if she kept the fight going any longer. Two years might've made a difference but he still knew her. He still knew _everything_ about her.

Connie stared at him, her brown eyes wide and Guy could easily see the question in her eyes. Again he shook his head, his hand still on her shoulder as he gave a light squeeze, silently communicating that it was alright, that there was no need to defend him. Connie's eyes softened as her shoulders slumped down and she heaved a heavy sigh.

Connie gave him a small smile but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Guy sent a small smile back that quickly faded when she turned and skated away. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Guy hated the pale look she got at the mention of Ethan and he found it strange at how Connie's father was behaving. It didn't sit well with him at all.

Charlie skated up next to him. "Hey…" He trailed off. Guy barely acknowledged his presence, instead he just watched Connie's retreating figure as she approached the edge of the rink and walked off to the girl's locker room. "You ok, man?" Charlie asked.

Guy quickly snapped out of his reverie. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Fine," He said distractedly.

"Right," Charlie sounded unsure as he gave Guy a disbelieving look.

"Charlie, who's Ethan?" Guy asked. The name didn't sit right on his tongue.

Charlie looked away, rubbing the back of his neck and nervously shuffled around on the ice before he looked Guy right in the eye, "Ethan is Connie's boyfriend."

* * *

**Again, sorry that its short. I hope I did alright. I think I will fast-forward a week to the first day of school in the next chapter so I can start to get to all the good stuff!  
As always, reviews are greatly appreciated! I would love to hear some feedback.**


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